Retracting strapping machine



Nov. 2l, 1933. H.`PAxToN RETRACTIG STRAPPING MACHINE Filed Feb. 6, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet l Ilimium' x ATTORNEY Nov. 21, 1933.

H. PAX-FON RETRAGTING STRA'PPINQ MACHINE" iled Feb. e. 193s y3 sheets-sheet s A TTORNE Y Patented Nov. 21, 1933 RETRACTING STRAPPING MACHINE Hale Paxton, Redlands, Calif., assignor to Paxton Credit Corporation, Sanger, Calif., a corporation of California Application February 6,

14 Claims.

My invention relates to packing house equipment, and more particularly to a machine for applying a strap across a middle portion of the cover of a box and securing the ends of said strap to opposite sides of said box.

While my invention is adapted to be used for the sole purpose of strapping boxes, it is also adapted to be used in conjunction with mechanism for pressing the ends of the cover onto a box to properly position the cover for being nailed to the box.

It is an object of my invention to provide a strapper of the type above specified which is adapted to be mounted on and operated in conjunction with a cover press which is retracted away from over a box prior to the pressing operation and which is shifted over said box as the first step in the cover pressing operation.

It is another object of my invention to provide a strapping machine which incidental to completing its operation is automatically removed from immediate vicinity of the box to give the operator relative freedom in moving the box onto and from the nailing table of the machine.

The manner of accomplishing the foregoing objects as well as further objects and advantages Will be made manifest in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the rocking cover press and strapper of my invention.

Fig`. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged medial sectional view through the machine shown in Fig. 1 with the parts of the strapping device shown in final strap driving position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view take in the direction of the arrow 3 of Fig. 7. y

Fig. '4 is an end elevational view of the machine shown in Fig'. 1 with a box and cover positioned thereover in readiness to be lidded and strapped. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the cover pressing and strapping mechanism of my invention after this has been rocked forward .over the box in the rst step of the cover pressing and strapping operation.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the cover pressing and strapping mechanism of my invention after it has been lowered directly downward from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 5 so as to press the cover on the box and apply a strap across the middle portion vof the cover in readiness to be secured to the sides of the box.

1933. Serial No. 655,412

` Fig. 7 is a fragmentary enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. l and illustrating the cover pressing and strapping mechanism` of my invention in retracted position.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a detailed cross-,sectional view taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional detail view taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 7.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a cover press and strapper 15, as shown in Figs. 1, 4, 5, and 6, and which includes a frame 16, a nailing table 17, and a cover pressing and strapping mechanism 18.

The frame 16 includes built-up side members 20 having vertical slots 21 and 22 provided therein, said members being connected at the rear by cross-members 23 and 24. The upper ends of the slots 22 are provided with horizontal portions 25. Secured to middle portions of the crossmembers 23 and 24 is a vertical frame member 27, the upper end of which has a bar 28 secured thereto to form a vertical slot 29.

The table 17 is preferably formed of a single sheet of metal, as shown in Fig. 1, this sheet beingl bent to form a front apron 30, a horizontal plate 31, and a rear box stop 32 with an end stop 33 provided thereon. Extending downward from the apron 30 is a ratchet bar 35 Lhaving teeth 36 provided thereon.

The cover pressing and strapping mechanism 18 has a rockable support member 40 formed of a pair of upright members 41 connected by acrossbar 42. The upright members 41 have laterally extending pins or rollers 42 and 44 which extend respectively into the frame slots 21 and 22. Extending forwardly from the members 41 are lower arms 46 and upper arms 48, the arms 46 being connected by contractile springs 47 to upper portions of the frame side members 20 so as to normally maintain the support member 40 in elevated position, the pins 44 at this time being shifted rearwardly into the horizontal portions 25 of the slots 22, thereby rocking the support 40 rearwardly as shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 7.

Pivotally mounted.- as by bolts 50, on the side frame members 20 is a treadle yoke 51 having a dog 52 which is spring-pressed into contact with the front face of the bar 35 to engage with the teeth 36 when the treadle yoke 51 is depressed. Connecting the treadle 51v with the upper arms 48 of the cover pressing and strapping mechanism support 40 are links 54. The springs 47 normally maintain the support 40 and the yoke 51 a ratchet dog 68. Slidable in the bearings 64 and are upright shafts 7U of a strapper unit supporting yoke 71. Secured to upper ends of the shafts are washers 72 which limit downward movement of the shafts 70, while similar washers 73 on the lower end of these shafts limit their upward movement. The yoke 71 is substantially triangular in shape having a back member 75 and side members 76 and 77, as clearly shown in Fig. 8, the member 75 being connnected to the members 76 and 77 by collars 78 which surround the shafts 70 and are secured rigidly thereto as by welding. Coiled about the shafts '70'between the bearings 64 and the collars 78 are compression springs '79 which resiliently urge the yoke 71 into its lowermost position relative to the cross-bars 62 and 63.

As shown in Fig. 2, the yoke member 75has a threaded aperture provided centrally therein into which is screwed a cap screw 84, this cap screw valso extending through suitable apertures in a ratchet arm and an actuating arm 86, a compression spring 87 being coiled about the cap screw 84to normally maintain the arms 85 and 86 pressed against each other and against the rear face of the yoke member '75, as shown in Fig. 7. When in this position the ratchet arm 85 does not engage the dog 68 on the lug 66 but is adapted to freely move up and down in the aperture 67 in this lug. When the arm 86 is rocked, as shown in Fig. 2, however, this also rocks the arm 85 forwardly so that suitable teeth provided on the front face of the arm 85 engage lthe dog 68 and prevent upward movement on the yoke 71 relative to the frame cross-member- 62. Provided in the upper end of the arm 86 is a pin 89 which extends into a suitable slot formed in the arm 85 so as` to prevent rotation o the arm 86 about the cap screw 84.

Extending through suitable aligned apertures in front end portions of the side members '76 and 77 of the yoke 71 is a bolt 90, this bolt also extending through a cam plate 91 which also has a .cap screw 92 extending therethrough and received in a suitable threaded aperture in the arm 77 so as to rigidly secure the plate 91 to the arm 77. The plate 91 has a cam surface 94 at the upper end thereof.

Pivotally mounted on the bolt is a strapper vunit 95, this unit including a cover shaping bar 96 through which the bolt 90 extends and which lies between forward ends of the yoke arms 76 and 77, as shown in Figs. 8 an'd 9. The bar 96 may be cast or fabricated and is so formed as to have a lower cover shaping face 97 which is preferably slightly concave and which is provided with a strap receiving channel 98. Opposite ends of the bar 96 are bifurcated vertically to provide strap shaping jaw recesses 99 in which strap shaping and driving jaws 100 and 100 are pivotally mounted respectively upon bolts 101 and 101'.

1. These jaws are identical and parts of the jaw a bolt 113 so as to form a strap end rest. The

plates 110 are also secured together by a bracket 114 which is preferably welded to these plates, this bracket having an ear 115 with an aperture therein for a purpose to be made clear hereinafter. The plates 110 have aligned apertures which receive the bolt 101. Also pivotally mounted on this bolt between the plates 110 is a driver 118 having an actuating arm 119 which, as shown in the plan view of Fig. 3 and in the broken away view of Fig. 7, is bifurcated and provided with a cross-bolt 122.` Pivotally mounted on the bolt 122 is an eye 123 of a rod 124 having a shoulder 125, the free end of this rod extending through the aperture in the ear 115 of the bracket 114 mentioned hereinabove. Coiled about the rod 124 is a compression spring 126 which normally rotates fthe driver 118 relative to the strap shaping jaw 100 so as to bring the driver against the stop bracket 114 as shown in Fig. 3.

Secured to opposite faces of the bar 96 by the bolt 101' and by cap screws 130 is a pair of arms 131, between the lower ends of which is mounted a roller 132 which lies in the vertical .guideway 29 mentioned hereinabove.

Extending upwardly from the bar 96 is a pair of lugs 135, between the upper ends of which is rockably mounted a hand lever 136 having a roller 137 which is disposed close to the cam surface 94 of the cam plate 91, and which is connected by links 138 and 139 to the bolts 122 and 122' of the drivers 118 and 118'.

Operation In commencing the operation of my invention to press and strap a cover onto an overfilled box of fruit or other fresh farm produce, the overlled box is placed upon the table 17 against the back stop 32 and the end stop 33, as shown Ain Fig. 4. A strap 152 .is now lifted upwardly so that its ends 153 are guided into the jaws 100 'and 100' and snap into place as shown in Fig. 7. Thus, when the strap is released the ends 153 of the strap 152 rest against the strap end rests 112 and 112' causing the strap to be confined in 1^ the plane in which it is desired to apply it to the box.

A cover 155 is now laid on top of the overlying contents 156 of the box 150 and the operator places his foot upon the treadle yoke 52 and forces this downwardly. The first result of this, as shown in Fig. 5, is that the pins 44 are drawn forwardly out of the horizontal portions 25 of .the slots 22. This constitutes a rocking movement of the support 40 about the lower pins 42 which brings the support 40 into substantially vertical position as shown in Fig. 5, positions the cover depressing arms 68 horizontally over opposite ends of the cover 155, and rocks the strapper unit 95 into substantially horizontal position over the middle of the cover 155 and in the plane in which it .is desired to apply the strap to the box 150. This rocking of the strapper unit 95 is a complex movement, as the strapper not only rocks about the pins 42 but also rocks about the bolt 90 upon which it is pivotally mounted relative to the yoke 71. This latter movement is accomplished by the direction in which the roller 132 is guided by the vertical guideway 29 on the frame of the machine.

This rocking of the unit 95 relative to the unit supporting yoke 71 causes another function to be performed by engagement of the roller 137 with the cam face 94 of the plate 91. This accomplishes the lifting of the hand lever 136 into upright position as shown in Fig. 5 which rotates the drivers 118 and, through the pressure of the springs 126, also rotates the jaws 100 into the position in which these are shown in Fig. 5.

Rotation of the jaws and drivers in this manner compresses the strap upwardly into the channel 98 so as to preshape the strap in substantially the form which it is desired to have when it is applied to the box.

The preshaping of the strap, as shown in Fig. 5, is merelyy the first step of a continuous movement, the next step of which is a movement straight downward onto the box 150 of the entire cover pressing and strapping mechanism 18. Theeffect of concluding this movement is shown in Fig. 6 where it is seen that the cover depressing arms have engaged the ends of the cover 155 and have pressed these ends downward against the ends of the box 150 leaving the'middle of the cover bulging upwardly on account of the overlled pack 156 which extends above the top of the box 150. This movement also brings the strapping unit 95 downward across a middle portion of the cover 155, thus applying the preshaped strap across the cover, the strap being held out of contact with the cover and the box and in position to have the ends 153 thereof driven into the sides of the box. When the treadle yoke 51 has been depressed as shown in Fig. 6, thev ratchet dog 52 engages the teeth 36 on the ratchet bar 35 and retains the treadle 51 and the cover pressing and strapping mechanism 18 in the positions in which these are shown in this iigure. It is to be noted in Fig. 6 that the compression springs 79 have been compressed (as shown in Fig. 2) by the continued downward movement of the support 40 after the strapper unit 95 has been halted by engagement with the bulging central portion of the cover 155. The strapper unit 95 is thus permitted to adapt itself to the cover 155 with varying heights of bulge to accommodate high packs having varying amounts of fruit 156 therein.

' When the mechanism 18 has been positioned as shown in Fig. 6 the ends of the cover 155 are ready to be nailed to the ends of the box and this may be accomplishedl by hand as with a hatchet or it may be performed by an automatic nailing machine superimposed over tha-mechanism 18. At any time after the mechanism 18 is positioned as shown in Fig. 6 the strap ends 153 may be driven into the sides of the box 150 so as to secure the strap 152 in place over the cover.

155. This driving operation is accomplished as shown in Fig. 2 by pulling the handle 136 forward, thus rocking the drivers 118 and 118 about the bolts 101 and 101', and driving the strap ends 153 into the box 150. In this view it is seen 'that the cover 155 has a plurality of slats and that the edge slats are shaped downwardly by engagement therewith of the concave cover shaping surface 97 of the cover shaping bar 96. Thefstrap 152, however, remains under compression, shaped upwardly into the concave form provided by the channel 98 and the inner faces of the drivers 118, and out of touch with the cover 155 until the ratchet dog 52 on the yoke 51 is released and the 'y mechanism 18 rises away from the'cover 155.

When the lever 136 is first moved forwardly from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 6, the pin 124 is extended against -the arm 86 so as to rock this substantially as shown in Fig. 2 and thus bring the arm 85 forward so that the teeth on the forward face of this arm engage the dog 68, thus preventing any upward movement of the yoke 71 relative to the cross-bar 62 during the balance of the strap driving operation. The ratchetarm 85 and its actuating mechanism are provided only as a safeguard against any rocking tendency of the strapper unit 95 as a result of swinging the lever 136 forwardly in driving the strap ends into the box. Another feature which tends to prevent this rotation of the strapper unit 95 in the driving of the strap is the extension of the ears 135 outwardly at their base, as shown in Fig. 8, to provide shoulders 160 which come downwardly against the upper faces of the forward ends of the yoke side arms 76 and 77 when the strapper unit 95 is rocked forwardly into the position in which it is shown in Fig. 5.

It is thus seen that I have provided a-4 very simple and inexpensive combined cover pressing and strapping machine in which the pressing and strapping mechanism is normally retracted away from the space occupied by the box in the machine so as to render the placing of the box in the machine and the removal therefrom relatively easy. 1

I claim as my invention:

l. In a strapping machine the combination of a frame; a table provided on said frame for receiving an overlled box, a cover being disposed over said box; a strapper unit embodying means for applying a strap transversely over said cover and securing ends of said strap to opposite sides of said box, said unit being rockably mounted on said frame and normally rocked away from said box to increase the space available for handling said box on said table; and means Afor rocking said unit as a unit to bring it into a substantially horizontal position vertically superimposed over a middle portion of said box and then moving said unit directly downward into strap applying and securing relation with said box.

2. In a strapping machine the combination of: a frame; a table provided on said frame for receiving an overlled box, a cover being disposed over said box; astrapper unit embodying means for applying a strap transversely over said cover and securing ends of said strap to opposite sides of said box, said unit being rockably mounted on said frame in the plane in which said strap is to be applied to said box, said unit being normally rocked awayfrom said box to increase the space available for handling said box on said table; and unitary means for rocking said unit as a unit to bring it into a substantially horizontal position vertically superimposed over a middle portion of said box and then moving said unit directly downward into strap applying and securing relation with said box.

3. In a strapping machine the combination of a frame; a table provided on said frame for receiving an overlled box, a cover being disposed over said box; a strapper unit embodying means for applying a strap transversely over said cover and securing ends of said strap to opposite sides of said box, said unit being rockably mounted on said frame and normally rocked away from said box to increase the space available for handling said box on said table; means forrocking said unit as a unit to bring it intoa substantially horizontal position vertically superimposed over a middle portion of said box and then moving said unit directly downward into strap applying and securing relation with said box; and means on said unit to preshape said strap for application to said box when said unit is rocked into said superimposed position. Y

4. In a strapping machine the combination of: a frame; a table provided on said frame and adapted to receive an overlled box with a cover disposed over said box; a strapper support rockably mounted on said frame; a strapper unit rockably mounted on said support, said unit embodying means for applying a strap transversely across said box and securing ends of said strap to opposite sides of said box; means normally causing said support and Vsaid unit to rock away from said box to increase the space between said strapperunit and said box; and means for rocking said support and said unit towards said box to bring said unit into position superimposed over said box, and then lowering said unit directly downward into strap applying and securing relation with said box.

5. A combination as in claim 4 in which the lowering of said unit is accomplished by depressing said unit support.

6. A combination as in claim 4 in which said unit is yieldable vertically on said support and yieldably pressed downward thereon and the low- -ering of said unit is accomplished by depressing said unit support.

7. In a strapping machine the combination of: a frame; a table provided on said frame for receiving an overfilled box with a cover disposed over said box; a strapper unit embodying means for applying a strap transersely over said cover and securing ends of said strap to opposite sides of said box;` means for supporting said unit retracted away from immediate proximity with said box, for then shifting said unit towards and over said box, and then lowering said unit directly downward into strap applying and securing relation with said box; and means for rocking said unit into a substantially horizontal position when it is shifted over said box as aforesaid, and retaining said unit in horizontal position while it is then being lowered.

8. Ina strapping machine the combination of a frame; a'table vprovided on said frame for receiving an overlled box with a cover disposed over said box; a strapper unit embodying means for applying a strap transversely over said cover and securing ends of said strap to opposite sides of said box; means for supporting said unit retracted away from immediate proximity with said box, "for then shifting said unit towards and over said box, and then lowering said unit directly downward into strap applying and securing relation with said box; and means on said unit for shaping a strap to conform substantially to the portion of said box to be strapped, said means being actuated by said shifting movement- 9. In a cover pressing and strapping machine the combination of a frame; a table provided on said frame for receiving an overlled box, a cover being disposed over said box; a strapper unit embodying means for applying a strap -transversely over said cover and securing ends of said strap to opposite sides of said box; means for engaging ends of said cover and pressing said cover ends against the ends of said box; and means for supporting said cover strapper unit and press means yieldably related vertically and retracted away from immediate proximity with said box, for shifting said strapper and press towards and over said box, and then lowering said strapper and press directly downward to press ends of said cover on ends of said box and position a strap transversely of said cover in position to be secured thereto, the relative vertical relationship of said strapper and said press at this time varying witll the height ofthe overlled pack.

10. In a strapping machine the combination of: a frame; a table provided on said frame for receiving an overfllled box with a cover disposed over said box; a strapper unit embodying a strap shaping bar, jaws pivoted on opposite ends thereof and adapted to support a strap having driving ends, drivers pivoted on said jaws, springs coacting between said drivers and said jaws to retract said drivers on said jaws, a hand lever pivotally mounted on said bar, and links connecting said lever to said drivers; means to position a box, with a cover placed thereover, under said unit; and means to bring said unit and said box vertically together to press said unit against said cover, a swinging movement of said lever being adapted to first swing said jaws in to shape said strap to conform to said box and cover, and then to rotate said drivers inward to drive said driving ends into said box.

11. In a strapping machine the combination of a frame; a. table provided on said frame for receiving an overfllled box with a cover disposed over said box; a strapper unit embodying means for applying a strap transversely over said cover and securing ends of said strap to opposite sides of said box; means for supporting said unit retracted away from immediate proximity with said box, for then shifting said unit towards and over said box, and then lowering said unit directly downward into strap applying and securing relation with said box; and means on said unit for shaping said cover transversely and shaping said strap to conform substantially to said cover.

12. In a strapping machine the combination of a frame; a table provided on said frame for receiving an overflled box with a cover disposed over said box; a strapper bar adapted to extend Atransversely of said cover; jaws pivoted on opposaid ends in said plane; drivers supported by saidV bar for rotation relative to said jaws in said guideway stop means limiting retraction of said drivers on said jaws relative to said guideways; springs coacting between said drivers and said jaws to retract said drivers against said stop means; means for bringing said bar into transverse contact with said cover with a strap confined in said plane by said guideways and means connected to said drivers for rotating said jaws into substantially parallel relation, thus permitting said jaws to engage the sides of said box and, after said engagement, rotating said drivers relative to said jaws to expel said driving ends of said strap from said guideways and into the sides of said box.

13. In a machine for applying a strap across a cover of a packed box and securing said strap to said box by pointed members driven intofthe sides of said box, the combination of: a table for supporting said box; jaws having guides for receiving and supporting end portions of said strap and said pointed members; a bar pivotally connected to said jaws to form a strap conning and applying unit; means causing relative movement of said table and said unit to cause said bar to engage said cover; drivers mounted on said unit for movementl in said guides; means for transmitting movement of said drivers to said jaws; and means for moving said drivers to swing said jaws inward opposite said box sides and then continuing movement of said drivers to drive said pointed members into said box sides to secure said strap to said box.

14. In a strapping machine the combination of a frame; a table provided on said frame for receiving an overlled box with a cover disposed over said box; a strapper unit including a bar disposed above and extending transversely across said cover, jaws movably mounted on opposite ends of said bar to place ends of a strap in positions to be secured to sides of said box; strap end securing drivers provided on said unit; mechanism causing relative movement of said table and said unit to bring said unit into engagement with said cover; elements connected to said drivers for actuating both said jaws and said drivers; and means connecting said jaws and said drivers to transmit movement from said drivers to said jaws to accomplish said strap positioning operation, said means then yielding to permit a strap securing movement of said drivers relative to said jaws.

HALE PAXTON. 

